sa Va

burning sensation that made me gasp. My throat was dry, my head pounded, and the world spun in a nausea

forced injection. The skin graft. They had actually done it. They had taken a piece of me, involuntarily, to heal her. The realization hit me

she said, her voice soft, almost apologetic. "He said to give you this, and to ensure you have everything you need for your r

an astronomical sum. "For your troubles," the accompanying note from Eli read, h

g heat that momentarily eclipsed the pain. With a surge of adrenaline, I crumpled the check into a tight ball and hurled it

y nodding and leaving the room. I was alon

Each day, the pain in my back was a constant, brutal reminder of what they had done. But with each day, the

f that hospital, my back still aching, my heart a hard

eningly sweet voice called my name. "Carissa! Oh

f delicate vulnerability. Her eyes, however, held that familiar

y voice flat, dev

said it was a necessary sacrifice." She paused, then added, "You know, we're having a small, intimate gathering at the Hamptons estate this weekend. Just close

d, cold and dismissive

d in conspiratorially, her voice dropping to a whisper. "You know, Eli and I have been spending a lot of time together lately. He's been so worried ab

nes she now used to twist the knife deeper. "I don't care," I stated, my

... wildness. But he needs someone gentle, someone who understands him. Someone like me." She paused, letting the words

emained a mask of icy indifference. This was her game, her cruel attempt to bait

ze, my eyes burning with a cold fire she clearly didn't expect. "But then again, Eli has alwa

ise, then something akin to fear. I had hit a nerv

a life to rebuild. Something you clearly know nothing about." I turned o

myself in the anonymity of the crowds. I went to art galleries, to concerts, to bustling cafes, trying to reclaim a semblance of norm

ing sound ripped through the quiet street. The piercing wail of police

lights flashed, painting the street in an ominous glow. T

ne of them asked,

a whisper, a knot of drea

, his hand already reaching for his handcuffs. "You're being

at?! That's insane! I

om the shadows, his face calm, compose

h disbelief and a fresh wave of hor

your violent outburst at the hospital... we can't have you jeopardizing the family's reputation any further. This is for your

, my voice cracking. "You set me u

to learn your lesson, Carissa. Some people are meant to absorb the bl

lously orchestrated, a cruel, elaborate trap designed to completely destroy me. I was a scapegoat, a puppet, and he was the master p

e moment!" But my words fell on deaf ears. The officers moved in, their grips firm, the cold metal of the handcuffs clicking shut around my wr